Maize Hand Planter and Fertilizer Applicator for the Developing World.

The equivalent amount of maize mechanically produced in the USA is planted, managed, and harvested by hand in the developing world.  This amounts to almost 36,000,000 hectares of maize produced on marginal landscapes.  Planting methods vary but they generally use heavy sticks whereby 2-3 seeds are planted per strike, roughly 35cm apart.  This inefficient method of planting is commonplace for subsistence maize farmers, largely dictated by terrain, circumstance, and resources.

When single seeds are placed 14-17cm apart, much like conventional planters, production levels can increase 25%.  Because developing world maize yields hover near 2 Mg/ha, a 25% yield increase (+0.5 Mg/ha) on 60% of the hand planted maize area in the developing world would be worth more than 3 billion USD per year.

Oklahoma State University has developed a new hand planter that is similar in shape, size, and weight (1.4 kg empty) to planters currently used, but that can reliably singulate seed. Benefits of the OSU hand planter include improved homogeneity of plant stands, removing chemically treated seeds from the hands of producers, accommodate mid-season applications of fertilizer, work for a range of planted crops/seeds, and increase grain yields.